The Download: the North Pole’s future and humanoid data

《下载》：北极的未来与人形机器人数据

This is today’s edition of The Download, our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of what’s going on in the world of technology. 这是今日份的《下载》，我们平日更新的简报，为您提供每日科技界动态。

Digging for clues about the North Pole’s past

挖掘北极过去的线索

In the past, getting to the North Pole involved a treacherous trip through ice many meters thick. But last year, a research vessel encountered open water and thin ice, which created an easy passage. It provided a reminder of how quickly the Arctic is changing. Now scientists are digging deep below the seabed to find out if the Arctic Ocean was ever ice-free—and what that could mean for the future of Earth’s northernmost waters. Here’s what they hope to discover. —Tim Kalvelage 过去，前往北极需要穿越数米厚的冰层，旅途凶险。但去年，一艘研究船却遇到了开阔水域和薄冰，航行变得异常轻松。这提醒我们北极的变化速度有多快。现在，科学家们正在深挖海底，试图查明北冰洋是否曾经无冰，以及这对地球最北端水域的未来意味着什么。以下是他们希望发现的内容。——Tim Kalvelage

This story is from the latest issue of our print magazine, which is all about nature. Check out the full issue here, and subscribe to get the next one when it lands. 本文摘自我们最新一期的纸质杂志，该期主题为“自然”。点击此处查看完整内容，并订阅以获取下一期杂志。

Humanoid data: 10 Things That Matter in AI Right Now

人形机器人数据：当前人工智能领域最重要的 10 件事

I was recently invited to join an app that would pay me to film myself doing tasks like putting food in a bowl and microwaving it. Another site asked if I’d like to remotely control a robotic arm to help improve its dexterity. What on earth is happening? These examples are just part of a growing push by robotics companies to collect data on our movements for training humanoids. As the race for real-world data heats up, our everyday movements are being turned into training data. Read the full story. —James O’Donnell 最近我受邀加入一个应用程序，它付钱让我拍摄自己完成任务的过程，比如把食物放进碗里并用微波炉加热。另一个网站则询问我是否愿意远程控制机械臂，以帮助提高其灵活性。这到底是怎么回事？这些例子只是机器人公司为训练人形机器人而收集人类动作数据这一日益增长的趋势的一部分。随着现实世界数据竞赛的升温，我们日常的动作正被转化为训练数据。阅读全文。——James O’Donnell

Humanoid data is one of our 10 Things That Matter in AI Right Now, a new look at the big ideas, trends, and technologies really worth your attention in the buzzy world of AI. “人形机器人数据”是我们“当前人工智能领域最重要的 10 件事”之一，这是对人工智能这个喧嚣世界中真正值得关注的重大理念、趋势和技术的全新审视。

The must-reads

必读内容

I’ve combed the internet to find you today’s most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology. 我梳理了互联网，为您找出了今天最有趣、最重要、最令人恐惧或最引人入胜的科技新闻。

Google, Microsoft, Amazon, and Meta have all set AI spending records Collectively, they’re up 71% on the same quarter last year. (NYT $)+ Microsoft, Google and Amazon reported big payoffs from the splurge. (FT $)+ But Meta’s shares slid after its plans spooked investors. (BBC)+ What even is the AI bubble? (MIT Technology Review) 谷歌、微软、亚马逊和 Meta 都创下了人工智能支出记录 总支出比去年同期增长了 71%。（《纽约时报》$）+ 微软、谷歌和亚马逊报告称这些巨额支出带来了巨大回报。（《金融时报》$）+ 但 Meta 的股价在计划吓坏投资者后出现下滑。（BBC）+ 到底什么是人工智能泡沫？（《麻省理工科技评论》）
The White House opposes Anthropic’s plan to expand Mythos access It’s concerned about the model’s cyber risks. (Bloomberg $)+ And worried that the government will lose compute access. (WSJ $)+ Anthropic is seeking funding at a valuation over $900 billion. (Bloomberg $) 白宫反对 Anthropic 扩大 Mythos 访问权限的计划 白宫担心该模型的网络安全风险。（彭博社 $）+ 并担心政府将失去计算资源访问权限。（《华尔街日报》$）+ Anthropic 正在寻求融资，估值超过 9000 亿美元。（彭博社 $）
Elon Musk has claimed OpenAI’s leaders “looted the nonprofit” During testimony, Musk said he “was a fool” for trusting them. (Gizmodo)+ But he had raised his own concerns about OpenAI’s non-profit status. (The Verge)+ The case could reshape the AI landscape. (MIT Technology Review) 埃隆·马斯克声称 OpenAI 的领导者“掠夺了非营利组织” 在证词中，马斯克表示他信任他们是“个傻瓜”。（Gizmodo）+ 但他此前也曾对 OpenAI 的非营利地位提出过自己的担忧。（The Verge）+ 该案件可能会重塑人工智能格局。（《麻省理工科技评论》）
Autonomous vehicles may be worsening According to emergency first-responders, glitches are increasing. (Wired) 自动驾驶汽车可能正在变差 据紧急救援人员称，故障正在增加。（《连线》）
OpenAI has abandoned much of its Stargate plan It will no longer develop its own data centers. (FT $)+ The project’s compute requirements have been questioned. (MIT Technology Review) OpenAI 放弃了大部分“星际之门”（Stargate）计划 它将不再开发自己的数据中心。（《金融时报》$）+ 该项目的计算需求受到了质疑。（《麻省理工科技评论》）
A convicted Harvard scientist is rebuilding a brain-computer lab in China He had previously been named the world’s top chemist. (Reuters $) + But was then convicted for lying about payments from China. (NYT $) 一名被定罪的哈佛科学家正在中国重建脑机实验室 他曾被评为世界顶级化学家。（路透社 $）+ 但随后因在来自中国的报酬问题上撒谎而被定罪。（《纽约时报》$）
Families have sued OpenAI over a mass shooter’s use of ChatGPT They say OpenAI provided a dangerously defective version of the chatbot. (NPR) 多个家庭因大规模枪击案凶手使用 ChatGPT 而起诉 OpenAI 他们称 OpenAI 提供了一个存在危险缺陷的聊天机器人版本。（NPR）
Apple is reportedly close to giving up on the Vision Pro After the latest model flopped. (MacRumors) 据报道，苹果公司即将放弃 Vision Pro 在最新型号产品表现惨淡之后。（MacRumors）
Senators are interrogating US AI firms on safeguards against China Over fears of IP theft. (Axios) 参议员们正在质询美国人工智能公司针对中国的安全保障措施 出于对知识产权盗窃的担忧。（Axios）
Friendly AI chatbots are more likely to be inaccurate A new study found kinder answers contained more mistakes. (BBC) 友好的 AI 聊天机器人更容易出现不准确的情况 一项新研究发现，语气越友善的回答包含的错误越多。（BBC）

Quote of the day

今日名言

“Never talk about goblins, gremlins, raccoons, trolls, ogres, pigeons, or other animals or creatures unless it is absolutely and unambiguously relevant to the user’s query.” “除非与用户的查询绝对且明确相关，否则永远不要谈论哥布林、小妖精、浣熊、巨魔、食人魔、鸽子或其他动物或生物。”

—OpenAI instructs Codex to avoid critter talk in a system prompt for the coding agent, Ars Technica reports. ——据 Ars Technica 报道，OpenAI 在其编码代理的系统提示词中指示 Codex 避免谈论小动物。

One More Thing

还有一件事

Is this the most energy-efficient way to build homes? 这是建造房屋最节能的方式吗？

When engineers began designing an ultra-efficient home in the 1970s, they realized the trick wasn’t generating energy in a greener way, but using less of it. They needed to make a better thermos, not a cheaper coffee maker. That idea helped inspire today’s passive-house standard: airtight buildings that can cut energy use by up to 90% through better windows, insulation, and ventilation. Although they’re often considered a cold-climate approach, passive houses actually have universal benefits. Find out what makes them so efficient. —Patrick Sisson 当工程师在 20 世纪 70 年代开始设计超高效住宅时，他们意识到诀窍不在于以更环保的方式发电，而在于减少能源消耗。他们需要的是制造一个更好的保温瓶，而不是一个更便宜的咖啡机。这一理念启发了当今的“被动式房屋”标准：通过更好的窗户、隔热材料和通风系统，气密性建筑可以将能源消耗降低高达 90%。虽然它们通常被认为是一种适用于寒冷气候的方法，但被动式房屋实际上具有普遍的益处。了解是什么让它们如此高效。——Patrick Sisson

We can still have nice things

我们依然可以拥有美好事物

A place for comfort, fun and distraction to brighten up your day. (Got any ideas? Drop me a line.) 一个为您带来舒适、乐趣和放松，点亮您一天的地方。（有什么想法吗？给我写信。）

Finally, someone built a gaming PC inside a microwave that runs DOOM.
终于有人把游戏 PC 装进了微波炉里，还能运行《毁灭战士》（DOOM）。
Experience the rhythm of the city through this rapid-fire collage of urban photography.
通过这组快节奏的城市摄影拼贴画，感受城市的律动。
Get a dose of pure cuteness as these tiny snow leopard cubs leave their den for the first time.
看看这些小雪豹幼崽第一次离开巢穴，感受纯粹的可爱。
If you’re staring at a random assortment of groceries, SuperCook will find a recipe based on what’s already in your pantry.
如果你正盯着一堆杂乱的杂货发愁，SuperCook 可以根据你储藏室里现有的食材为你找到食谱。